1. Field of the Invention
In general, the present invention relates to rolling toy characters that appear to be skateboarding. More particularly, the present invention relates to rolling toys with a free-rolling internal mass that provides momentum to the toy as it rolls.
2. Prior Art Description
There are many toys that roll. These toys come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, such as toy cars, toy trucks, and even toy characters that are mounted atop toy skateboards. Most toys that roll, roll on wheels. However, there is a subset of rolling toys that do not roll on wheels. Rather, some toys contain a single spherical mass that can be rolled with great momentum. The toy is designed around the spherical mass, wherein the toy is propelled by the momentum of the rolling spherical mass within the toy. Such prior art rolling toys are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 6,071,173 to Kelley, and U.S. Patent No. 2011/0104982 to Koehl. In both instances, a spherical mass, in the form of a ball bearing or marble, is placed within a hollow cavity in the center or a toy car.
Placing a rolling mass in the center of a toy car, rather than rolling the toy car on wheels has both advantages and disadvantages. The advantages are that the mass of the toy car is typically increased, so it will roll longer once pushed. Additionally, the center of gravity of the toy car is made lower so the toy car is very unlikely to flip. The disadvantages are that the chassis of the toy merely hangs about the spherical rolling mass. As such, the toy car has a tendency to bobble and turn side to side as it is internally pushed by the spherical mass. As such, the toy car is just as likely to roll sidewise as it is to roll forward as it bobbles atop the rolling spherical mass.
The unpredictable direction of a toy that rolls on a spherical mass makes the design unsuited for toys like cars and trucks that are expected to travel only in the direction that the toy car or truck is pointed.
The Applicant has improved upon the technology of toys with internal rolling spherical masses and has developed a toy system that takes advantage of the unusual rolling characteristics embodied by a toy with an internal spherical mass. The new toy design is described and claimed below.